St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-06-04
WATER EVERYWHERE.
A Scientist Who Says the ArtesiCn
Wells Will Never Fail.

n IL
Wells Will Never Fail.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, June 3.-Samuel NJ
Wallace, a scientist, patentee and i'll
ventor, interested in territorial matters,
invites attention to the fact that the
artesian well at Aberdeen is supposed
to be failing, and says: at is practic-
ally impossible for all arteSian we'll to
fail. OF course, its first source of sup
ply may wane, and the force decrease.
But the we'll should be sunk into the
bowels of the earth until one of the
Subterranean streams be struck, and
then the flow is as ceaSeleSS and peren-
NAL as the verdure of the tropics.
apprehend that economy miSled the
AberdeenianS into cessation of
the work too soon. l don't know
how deep their well is, nor does
it make any difference. If it is seeming
to fail, that is sign enough that it is not
deep enough. Away down in the midst
of the supposed fiery depths of the
prairie there are to be found living
make them. Not only Aberdeen, but
all prairie cities and counties, should
seek to find that water. BY an upheaval
of the Rockies the fertile acreage of the
prairie country became desert. Mill
ions of acres are still arid land. The
arteSian we'll will settle the question of
the great American desert. 1t will
settle the question of the bad lands,
the alkali lands and all other questions
which so largely engage the attention
of farmers and agriculturiSts in this
country"
what reason have you for supposing
that these streams abound in the great
WeSt?"
Il have no reason beyond actual
knowledge. If the sun rises, you see it.
tell what reason he has for believing
that the sun shines, do you? And if
you see field of wheat or oats, or corn,
and tell your friend That is beautiful
field of grain,' you are not expected to
give reasons for believing that you see
a field of grain. Do you"
But have you seen those subterran-
can streams?"
''Of course 1 have. I have traced
them to their sources and know their
courses and deltas and mouths. l can
not take you with me, in a minute, all
over the ground that it has taken me
nearly six years to survey; but l can as
sure you that by actual study, know
as well as you know, and better than
you know, the currents which run
through the ocean. They teach the
ocean currents in the schools, and have
very good maps for them. 1t will not be
many moons until the currents beneath
the earth will be placed before the riS-
ing generation, in the schools"
But you say that the arteSian well
can strike water everywhere. Do you
mean that?"
THAT is exactly what mean. Not
only are there living streams percOlating
the entire earth, but the well-known
laws of endOSmOSiS and eXOsmOSiS, or
the sSeeping' process, make the base of
the prairie country a watery bed; just
as the hill country is founded on the
everlasting grantee
''How can this arteSian well process
solve the problems of agriculture, as
you SuggeStT'
Moisture is necessary, and that alone,
to make the desert blossom everywhere
as the rose. Fill Sahara with water, or
moisten it deeply. and the seeds which
are everywhere, even in the air particles
which we breathe, the seeds will lodge.
extend their roots and bud into promis-
ing plants and put forth their foliage.
As soon as that first step is taken, the
rains Will seek the erStWnlle barren
waste and continue encouraging the en-
largement of the vegetable kingdom.
1t is simple matter that every child
ought to understand"
''Are any of these subterranean
streams under the prairies of Dakota?''
Enough of them to wash awayall
the accumulated alkali of the ages if the
people will only permit them to do so.
Let them put down their drills and
make an opening for the water to burst
forth, and it will do all the work of irri-
g and Esp aeHg Is af this ef rua n the
hills. All of that country is rich with
water, and there is a great deal of it on
the surface. But the country between
Rapid City and Dickinson needs arte-
sian wells more than any other portion
of the territory. All should have it,
however"